Winter Workshop: Seeing in the dark with Julia Astok

Winter is often misunderstood as barren, heavy, or bleak. But what if we told you it's actually the womb of life? The place where seeds rest, roots deepen, and everything prepares for the quiet before the bloom?

This five-week journey with photographer and artist Julia Astok invites you to discover the quiet, potent energy hidden inside the dark. Through mindful photography, simple practices, and moments of stillness, you'll learn to see the world—and yourself—with softer eyes.

This workshop is less about "taking photos" and more about receiving the season—learning to be with the darkness not as something empty, but as something fertile, nourishing, and deeply alive.

You'll explore how low winter light can teach clarity, how shadow creates depth, and how the natural world can guide you toward a gentler, more compassionate way of seeing yourself.

No photography experience needed—only curiosity, openness, and a willingness to slow down.

A new way of seeing:

Mindfulness through the lens:

Nature as mirror:

Light, shadow & imperfection:

Inner stillness:

Creative exploration without pressure:

Weekly rituals of homecoming:

Plus:

Move from "taking photos" to receiving images through presence and connection

Use your camera as a tool for grounding and connecting with the world around you

Discover how natural forms reflect your inner landscape and emotions

Explore how nature teaches depth, tenderness, and acceptance

Build practices that calm the mind and invite deeper embodiment

Learn to photograph intuitively, without striving for perfection

Each session leaves you with a meaningful photo exercise to carry into your week

Personal access to Julia between workshops via WhatsApp for guidance and encouragement

Week 1: The art of stillness

10 January
Slowing down and learning to receive rather than capture. Re-evaluating what darkness and winter hold for you.

Week 2: Nature as you

17 January
Seeing yourself reflected in the natural world. Discovering the kinship between your own form and the living world.

Week 3: Light & shadow

24 January
Exploring depth, emotion, and inner mirrors through the gentle play between light and darkness.

Week 4: The poetry of imperfection

31 January
Embracing the unpolished, the transient, the honest. Finding tenderness where perfection once ruled.

Week 5: Coming home

7 February
Integrating stillness, belonging, depth, and compassion into a living practice of gratitude and presence.

- Anyone drawn to nature, creativity, or gentle self-expression
- People wanting to learn mindfulness in a grounded, artistic way
- Photographers (any level), artists, nature-lovers, or complete beginners
- Those longing to slow down and reconnect with themselves
- Anyone curious about the healing potential of photography

Very little—just the essentials:

- A camera (your phone camera is perfectly fine!)
- A journal and pen
- A simple connection to nature (even just a houseplant or window with light)
- Optional: simple natural objects we'll suggest each week
- Everything is intentionally simple and accessible.

Julia is a passionate multidisciplinary artist based in Estonia, inspired by nature's poetry and with a keen eye for the extraordinary within the ordinary. Through her work, she specialises in capturing what she calls "magic"—those intangible moments and qualities difficult to express in words.

As shared in her recent Mettā Interview appearance, Julia's journey with photography began as a lifeline during difficult teenage years. It evolved from dark, escapist imagery to becoming a tool for healing and self-discovery. Today, she guides others to see themselves with the same compassion she learned to cultivate through her lens.

"We are works of art and works of nature—why not appreciate the textures, changes, and imperfections just as we would in the natural world?"

Dates: 10 January – 7 February 2025 (5 consecutive Saturdays)
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM CET (90 minutes)
Format: Live online via Zoom
Group size: Maximum 15 participants
Investment: €395 / CHF 375 / £355 / $465

What's included:

Five live 90-minute sessions
Video recordings of all sessions
Weekly PDF resources and transcripts
At-home exercises (20-60 minutes weekly)
WhatsApp support between sessions
A compassionate, safe space for exploration

Can't make every session live? No worries—all sessions are recorded and shared with participants to watch in their own time.

A softer, deeper relationship with photography
Renewed connection to nature and your inner wisdom
Practical mindfulness tools for daily life
A gentler relationship with yourself
A personal photo collection reflecting your journey
A new way of seeing—rooted in presence and belonging

I first met Julia way before she came to be a guest at my Le Trente salon in September 2024. In fact, upon seeing her work with the designer Hanna Fiedler (who I was mentoring and later advising) in the summer of 2020, I directly asked Hanna to put us in touch, so much I fell in love with Julia's images. This particular series was photographed in the middle of the pandemic, Julia had turned the camera on herself to create a lookbook for her friend. The resulting series of high-fashion self-portrait (my description of course) felt more like a work of art to me. Julia and I ended up on Zoom, and five years later, here we are!

Having collaborated with her on various projects, I can tell you that Julia's unique approach to photography as a mindfulness practice is perfect fit our community. This workshop embodies everything Le Trente stands for: slowing down, deepening our awareness, accessing pockets of inspiration in places we may not expect them, and finding beauty in the ordinary moments.

If you're feeling the weight of winter, exploring photography or simply seeking a gentler way to move through the world, Julia's five weeks workshop offers a beautiful path forward. Come as you are—no experience necessary, just an open heart. See you there!

With love,

Anne